This invention relates generally to security mailboxes that prevent unauthorized access to mail placed therein and more particularly to an inexpensive mailbox structure that uses the same access section for both depositing and storing mail and the same containment section for both supporting the access structure and storing mail.
There are many security mailboxes that prevent unauthorized access to stored mail. Security mailboxes must be designed so that a thief cannot simply reach into the box and remove the contents. For example, mailboxes in apartment complexes prevent unauthorized removal of mail by providing a locking front access door. However, these mailboxes also require a mailman to first unlock the door and then relock the door after the mail has been inserted. This type of system is time consuming and, therefore, is not efficient for single family residences where only one or two mailboxes are ever located next to each other. As a result, mail carriers will not carry separate keys for single family lockable mailboxes. In addition, if a single "pass key" were used for every mailbox, the security of all mailboxes would be compromised if anyone obtained access to that key.
In addition to being time consuming for mail carriers, a mailbox with a lockable access door has limited utility. For example, a paper carrier could not place a newspaper into the mailbox. Alternatively, a neighbor or acquaintance, who wanted to leave a package for someone who was not presently home, could not access the locked mailbox. This has significant disadvantages in rural communities where it is impracticable for a newspaper carrier to deliver the paper to the front door of each residence. Thus, newspapers are typically kept in separate containers, where they can be easily and anonymously stolen. In addition, if a homeowner forgets to stop their mail or newspaper, for example, in anticipation of an extended trip, the accumulation of mail and newspapers is a tip off for thieves that the home is not currently occupied. Current mailboxes, however, do not prevent someone from looking in and observing the contents inside and do not have the capacity to store large accumulations of mail.
To solve the problems mentioned above, several security mailboxes have been developed that allow mail insertion without a key and also prevent unauthorized removal of the inserted mail. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,115 to Hassan and U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,063 to Overstreet illustrate mailboxes with separate incoming and outgoing mail slots. Hassan illustrates a three section structure whereby mail is inserted into a mail receiving end and passed through an intermediate body portion into a mail storage end. The structure, uses a separate outgoing mail slot for storing letters to be picked up by a mail carrier. The separate outgoing mail slot requires an additional shelf inside the main access cavity which limits the available space for storing and accepting incoming and outgoing mail. Since two slots are required, the size of each slot must be reduced. The outgoing slot is, therefore, reduced to the point where it cannot hold packages. In addition, the access area for incoming mail is also reduced which limits the size of packages that are insertable into the mailbox.
To provide a sufficient area for both incoming and outgoing mail, a larger overall structure must be provided, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,332 to Long. Manufacturing costs for this type of structure, however, are high because of the additional size and the need for additional structural components. Other security mailboxes, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,378 to Dorr et al., have no means for storing outgoing mail. This type of mailbox, therefore, has limited usefulness in residential applications where mail is only picked up if placed in the homeowner's mailbox.
Many security mailboxes use special mechanical apparatus for preventing unauthorized access. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,880,334 to Earle uses a rotating doorstop to prevent access to a lower receptacle. This mechanism, however, does not allow storage of outgoing mail, and in addition, requires movable parts that must be operated each time mail is inserted. These mechanical parts increase manufacturing costs and also are susceptible to mechanical failure. Therefore, the structure must be continuously maintained, for example, to prevent rust. U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,999 to Fitzgerald et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,626 to Berry also show security mailboxes that have moving parts which are activated each time mail is inserted. Additional structural components are also used, in addition to the basic mailbox structure used for storing outgoing mail and receiving incoming mail.
Accordingly, a need exists for a low cost easily manufacturable security mailbox that can receive incoming mail and hold outgoing mail without requiring special mechanical or structural components.